klisemfg Chapter 400 No matter where we are, we are always the people we miss and think about the most!
Chapter 400 No matter where we are, we are always the people we miss and think about the most!
At the beginning of Hai hour, the Milky Way filled the sky, and the crescent moon hung like a hook.
Several peregrine falcons flew over the top of the city lord's pavilion and landed on the eaves not far from the pavilion, their amber eyes shining brightly in the candlelight inside.
Time flew by, and after arranging many matters, the City Lord's Pavilion held a grand banquet.
The grandparents, grandchildren, and brothers, who had finally managed to gather together, had a chance to sit down and share a drink.
The banquet lasted until late into the night, and Baili Dongjun generously served all the fine wines he had accumulated over the past few days.
Everyone drank heartily, except for Baili Chengfeng, who stood alone in the camp outside the city. He kept a close eye on the Pofeng Army's officers and soldiers as they incorporated the more than 10,000 surrendered soldiers from Yunzhou until late at night.
Sheng Yanwei's words to the surrendered soldiers from Yunzhou in the afternoon, accompanied by the flag-bearing junior officers, clearly had an effect. The vast majority of these more than 10,000 surrendered soldiers from Yunzhou sincerely surrendered to the Pofeng Army. Only a few new recruits who were homesick received travel expenses and rushed back to Yunzhou City overnight.
Baili Chengfeng was actually quite happy that some people were able to return alive. Once they returned home, they would definitely tell the people of Yunzhou about how well the Pofeng Army treated the surrendered soldiers.
As a result, the families of the surrendered soldiers who joined the Pofeng Army will have fewer worries and will be grateful to Baili and his son. Yunzhou City will be more stable, and the Pofeng Army will no longer need to add more troops to worry about things in the rear.
Seeing that the camp was properly arranged, all the surrendered soldiers had been registered, and the weapons and horses had been counted by the accompanying clerk and officials, Baili Chengfeng was finally able to return to his tent to rest for a while.
Inside the central command tent, Baili Chengfeng removed his armor and changed into a cotton long gown. At this moment, the cook in charge of the commander's food and drink quickly carried the food box into the tent.
The cook placed a pair of chopsticks, two dishes of seasonal vegetables, a bowl of braised meat, and a pair of roasted quails on the table. There was also a pot of wine and a bowl of rice in the food box.
"Young Master, you must be tired after a long day. Please have your meal!"
After the cook had settled the food and drink, he looked at Baili Chengfeng with some heartache.
The man looked to be at least fifty years old, with deep wrinkles on his face and most of his hair turned white.
Baili Chengfeng smiled faintly: "Thank you, Lao Hong. You should get some rest too!"
Old Hong nodded, turned around and left.
Speaking of Old Hong, the chief cook, he is a veteran of the Broken Wind Army. Before he even reached adulthood, he followed Baili Luochen on his campaigns.
Originally a mounted archer who charged ahead, he was skilled at hitting targets from a hundred paces away and had made many military achievements in his youth.
However, fate was unkind. He was injured in the battle to conquer Luosang, the capital of Western Chu, and could no longer ride a horse to fight.
Baili Luochen was reluctant to let him retire from the military, so he kept him by his side and made him take care of his meals.
Old Hong was deeply grateful and has since taken meticulous care of Baili Luochen's daily life and accommodations during his march, a commitment he continues to this day.
Baili Chengfeng watched Lao Hong leave, then sat alone at the table, picking up his chopsticks but he hesitated for a long time before putting them down.
He thought for a moment, then called out loudly to the outside of the tent, "Someone, summon Vice General Chen into the tent. I need to speak with him!"
Upon hearing this, the guard outside the tent responded, "Yes, sir!"
A moment later, Chen Dunru, dressed in military attire, hurriedly stepped into the tent and knelt before Baili Chengfeng: "Young Master, what brings you here in the middle of the night?"
Baili Chengfeng smiled and waved his hand, "Get up, it's nothing. Your military affairs in the camp have already been arranged, haven't they?"
Chen Dunru nodded: "The recruitment was completed before 7 PM, with a total of more than 3,600 surrendered soldiers. I divided these new recruits into three thousand-man teams. According to the general's orders, they will still have their original thousand-man commanders, and we will assign deputy generals to accompany them."
Baili Chengfeng picked up the wine pot and poured himself a cup, then picked up a new wine cup and poured one for Chen Dunru as well.
"Very well, now that the military affairs are finished, sit down and have a few drinks with me!"
Chen Dunru was taken aback and somewhat puzzled: "Young Master seems to have something on his mind? I wonder if he is thinking about the young master and the old Marquis?"
Baili Chengfeng gave a wry smile and said self-deprecatingly, "What do I have to worry about? Those two, grandfather and grandson, have long forgotten about me!"
"I bet you, right now Dongjun is probably drinking and having a great time with his grandfather in Snowmoon City! He's completely forgotten about me, his father and son!"
Upon hearing this, Baili Dongjun and his grandson, who were enjoying a drink in the Lord's Pavilion of Snowmoon City, felt a sudden tingling sensation in their noses and sneezed almost simultaneously!
"Ah!"
Achoo!
The grandfather and grandson looked at each other, and Baili Dongjun said with some concern, "Grandpa, have you caught a cold during the march these past few days? I'll quickly ask the cook to make you a bowl of ginger soup!"
Baili Luochen looked at his grandson with affection and said, "No need, no need. Grandpa has an iron body, how could he catch a cold? I'm worried about you. You've been working day and night these past few days. Don't catch a cold!"
Only Ye Dingzhi, sitting next to Baili Dongjun, seemed to see through something, putting down his wine cup and staring at Baili Dongjun, saying:
"Dongjun, let's eat and drink to our hearts' content here, while the young master is still suffering in the camp outside the city... How about it?"
Baili Luochen waved his hand, interrupting Ye Dingzhi:
"Don't worry about Dingzhi. I feel uncomfortable with him sitting here. I'm really happy to sit with you kids, and I even enjoy the wine!"
Hearing this, Wen Yanzhao, sitting opposite Baili Dongjun, chuckled inwardly and thought to himself, 'It seems my uncle's status in the family still has room to decline...'
……
The scene shifts back to the Pofeng Army camp outside the city. Chen Dunru, having overheard Baili Chengfeng's mockery of the grandfather and grandson inside the city, looks somewhat embarrassed. After pondering for a while, unsure how to respond, he can only offer words of comfort:
"This... The old Marquis knows that military affairs are busy in the camp, and it certainly won't work without the young master as the leader..."
Baili Chengfeng tilted his head back and drank the wine in his cup to the bottom. After putting down the cup, he looked at Chen Dunru and said, "So be it. Anyway, the old man and the little rascal don't want me to drink with them. What are you standing there for? Drink up!"
Chen Dunru had no choice but to remove his sword, pull up a wooden stool, sit opposite Baili Chengfeng, and drink the wine.
Baili Chengfeng then turned to look northeast, seemingly talking to himself:
"It's been almost three months since we left Qiandong City. I wonder how things are back home now..."
Chen Dunru picked up his wine cup and poured another full cup for Baili Chengfeng, then poured one for himself as well, replying:
"Hmm...it shouldn't be long before it's time. Young Master, you must be missing the Princess Consort, right? You don't need to worry. There are still five thousand elite soldiers stationed in Qiandong City. Before the expedition, I also strictly ordered the Marquis's personal guards to patrol the Marquis's residence day and night. There won't be any mishaps!"
Baili Chengfeng sighed, raised his hand, and downed another cup of wine.
"You, though you seem dull, see right through me. I am a little worried about my wife. After we finish drinking, send a scout on a fast horse, and I'll write a letter and send it home so she won't worry day and night!"
……
Qiandong City, Zhenxi Marquis Mansion.
Although it was nearly midnight, Wen Luoyu was leaning against the couch in the inner room, embroidering a two-inch-long sachet in her hand.
The sachet was shaped like a gourd, lined with silver and gold threads, and embroidered with the two characters "平安" (peace) in seal script in the center.
In the bamboo basket in front of her lay a sachet of the same shape and color, only slightly smaller than the one she was embroidering in her hand.
Ling'er sat at the small table in front of the couch, watching Wen Luoyu embroider with meticulous care, and couldn't help but feel a pang of heartache.
"Your Highness, it's already past midnight. You should rest. Continuing like this will hurt your eyes."
Wen Luoyu didn't even look up, her hands flying up and down with needle and thread: "It'll be done soon. Perhaps in a few more days, the young master will return in triumph. Once it's finished, he can take it with him on his next expedition, just to ensure his safety!"
Ling'er sighed helplessly and looked at the other one in the basket, asking:
"So, the one the Crown Princess finished embroidering a few days ago was for the young master!"
Wen Luoyu put down her needlework, looked up and smiled warmly: "You're the smartest person in the Marquis's mansion, aren't you? You see everything clearly!"
Ling'er smiled and said, "What's so difficult about that? The most important people in Madam's heart are the young master and the young master! The young master has been gone for two or three months, and Madam has missed him terribly..."
Wen Luoyu blushed at the girl's words and feigned anger, saying:
"Go away, stop talking nonsense. How old are you? What do you know? Don't bother me. Go and prepare hot water for washing up!"
Ling'er chuckled and skipped out of the inner room, leaving Wen Luoyu alone with her cheeks flushed red.
……